Well, friends, by the time you are reading this, I’ll be on my way to Africa for one of my first big trips of 2025. PassionLife has a lot of trips planned for this year, but this will be my first time back out in the field. We would be so grateful if you would pray for us while we are in Africa.
It’s just me going from the PassionLife staff. I will be meeting up with three pastors from different countries in Africa, and together we will be traveling to three countries: Liberia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. We will be teaching pastors and Christian leaders for a couple of days in each location.
I have three specific prayer requests that are very important and I would love to share them with you.
Discipling African Pastors
Firstly, I would ask you to pray for the development of the three men that I’m going to be traveling with. This trip is not just about training Africans, but about training these three men to train others.
The goal is to create a movement, not just host a teaching event.
We will work together, sharing responsibilities, debriefing and critiquing each other, all with the aim of training more efficiently and effectively. We want to empower people to train others, so the impact multiplies.
Please pray that I can pour into these three men in a way that equips them to become confident and skilled teachers of the Four Questions training. They are all sharp pastors and some have already had exposure to the training. I know two of them personally and John, my colleague, has met all three. I am so excited about getting into the field with them!
By the time we reach our last training session in Zimbabwe, I’m hoping to simply introduce the team and the PassionLife ministry, then hand over the teaching responsibilities to these capable men. So please, pray for their development as Four Questions trainers.
Safety in Uncertain Times
My second prayer request is for our safety during our travels. I recently took a personality assessment and was reminded that I am a bit of a risk-taker. As a missionary, I’ve learned there are times when we must take risks and trust the Lord. But this does not mean we take foolish or imprudent risks. We take calculated risks, and sometimes find ourselves in uncomfortable situations.
While I haven’t often asked for prayer for safety on our trips, as we usually travel to relatively safe areas, Mozambique is currently experiencing a lot of unrest due to political issues surrounding the October election. There has been rioting, businesses have been shut down, and even the airport in Maputo, where we are scheduled to fly into, is currently closed. We will also be travelling by car a lot within Mozambique.
So, please pray for our safety. We know that the Lord is with us, but that doesn’t mean we are exempt from the consequences of foolish risks. We are working closely with our local hosts who know the area well and will advise us on how to stay safe. Your prayers for our safety would be greatly appreciated.
A Personal Request
My last prayer request is a bit more personal and vulnerable. I haven’t traveled since August of 2024. I usually spend a lot of time on the road for PassionLife, but I haven’t traveled since August 21, 2024, when I had to return from China after only a few hours due to the sudden passing of our 21-year-old son.
I had several trips planned, including this trip to Africa, but decided to stay home for the rest of the year. Now, as I prepare to travel again, I have a lot of anxiety about leaving my wife, Dana. We have discussed it, and she is supportive of my trip, but it will be hard for her with the memory of the last trip and its tragic end.
Therefore, I would deeply appreciate it if you would pray for Dana and my children while I am away in Africa.
Thank You For Your Prayers
We are so thankful for your prayers and support of our ministry. We pray for you weekly as a team. Right now, we specifically ask that you would pray for this trip to Africa.
- Pray for the successful discipleship of the three African pastors.
- Pray for our safety as we travel in Liberia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
- Pray for Dana, my wife, as I embark on this first business trip since we lost our son.
Thank you for partnering with us in prayer.